Characters devoted to revenge are not uncommon in anime. Off the top of their head, fans might list Scar from Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter, or Guts from Berserk. Revenge-seeking female characters are a slightly rarer occurrence. Whether they seek revenge for injuries or deaths of loved ones, harassment, torture, or even for romantic betrayals, these characters take their fates into their own hands and carry out their versions of justice.
Often, it all culminates around a long-awaited moment, which can be extremely satisfying for viewers to see play out. While they might be empowering to watch, these female characters are by no means perfect role models. Sometimes, their actions are downright despicable. Yet many viewers can’t help but root for this type of character and say “good for her” when their revenge has been had.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
10 Ai Enma Gets Revenge On Her Village (Hell Girl)
Hell Girl is a supernatural horror series about the Hell Correspondence website, a site where anyone can write the name of a person they hold a grudge against. A mysterious girl named Ai Enma appears and sends their target to hell. The catch is that the person who wrote the target’s name also goes to hell once they die.
In a series all about revenge, Ai herself has a tragic backstory. As a child many centuries ago, Ai’s village decided to sacrifice her to make the gods happy. Her family saved her life by hiding her away, but one day, the villagers discovered her. They killed her parents and buried Ai alive, but later, Ai’s spirit rose from the grave seeking vengeance. She demolished the village with newfound powers, killing everyone. Her actions were so horrifying that she was denied entry even into hell and instead became the Hell Girl.
9 Kikyo Seeks Revenge For Her Own Death (Inuyasha)
Kikyo is another tragic example of a character who got their revenge. Inuyasha takes place 500 years in the past, in a world overrun with demons and curses. Kikyo, a shrine priestess, devoted her life to protecting a sacred and powerful jewel. She lived happily with her half-demon lover, Inuyasha, until another half-demon named Naraku attempted to steal the jewel by pitting the two lovers against each other.
Fatally wounded and believing Inuyasha to have betrayed her, Kikyo exacted revenge in her final moments by sealing Inuyasha to a tree with her sacred arrow. Even though Inuyasha was really innocent, Kikyo’s despair at betrayal from her lover was real, and she got her revenge.
8 Yuno Gets Back At Her Parents (Future Diary)
In Future Diary, Yuno is a participant in a bloody battle royale called the Survival Game. However, Yuno has always had a difficult life. When she was growing up, her adopted parents subjected her to horrible circumstances. With her father always away at work, Yuno’s mother started to abuse her, locking her in a cage and restricting her food. Unable to take anymore, Yuno was able to lock her parents in the cage. While she got her revenge, she neglected them and they ended up starving to death.
Her tragic past has made her well-suited to the Survival Game, as she is familiar with doing whatever it takes to survive, even if that includes using cruelty and violence. She is definitely no one’s role model.
7 Ryuko Matoi Is A Force Of Vengeance (Kill La Kill)
In Kill La Kill, Ryuko Matoi wants nothing more than to avenge her father’s murder. Armed with one half of the Scissor Blade, she searches for the person who possesses the other half, believing them to be the murderer. In a world where clothes give their wearers superhuman abilities, Ryuko dons Senketsu, a mega-powerful set of clothes. Together, they seek revenge.
Ryuko learns the identity of her father’s murderer and is eventually able to best this enemy in one of the most memorable moments of the show: by cutting off their arms. She then continues on her path of vengeance to confront an even bigger antagonist. Many viewers, especially female viewers, find Ryuko’s drive and rebellious spirit to be inspirational.
6 Aya Gets Revenge On Bullies With Magic (Magical Girl Site)
In Magical Girl Site, middle-school student Aya experiences horrible bullying at the hands of her classmates as well as abuse at home. Depressed and unable to take it anymore, she comes across a strange website, offering to bestow magical powers upon her.
The next day, an odd-looking gun appears in her locker at school, and in her desperation, she fires it at her bullies as they torment her. Her bullies teleport to a railway crossing where a train promptly runs them over. In Aya’s case, while she suffered immensely due to the cruelty of others, she was not actively seeking revenge – it sought her out.
5 Ritsuko Gets Revenge On Her Lover (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Neon Genesis Evangelion follows the teenage boy Shinji, who is recruited by his father, Gendo, to pilot a giant mecha and battle Angels. Ritsuko Akagi, the head scientist of NERV, becomes romantically involved with Gendo, just like her mother did before her. However, after discovering that Gendo had only been using her, the same way he once used her mother, she is understandably furious.
Ritsuko gets revenge by destroying a system vital to NERV. While she ends up dying at the hands of Gendo in The End Of Evangelion, the manga adaptation gives her one more chance at revenge. In her final moments, Ritsuko uses the last of her strength to shoot Gendo, delivering a mortal wound to his neck. Many viewers can’t help but think that Gendo got what he deserved.
4 Misa Amane Gets Revenge On The World (Death Note)
In Death Note, Misa Amane is a model and actress. One year before the start of the story, her home was broken into in an attempted robbery. She witnessed her parents’ murder, an event that would scar her forever. The legal system failed Misa when after a long trial, the murderer walked free.
Misa’s desire for revenge was fulfilled by Light Yagami, who used the Death Note to kill her parents’ killer. Thankful that Light took justice into his own hands, Misa became his loyal supporter. Becoming the owner of a Death Note herself, Misa used it to get rid of criminals as the Second Kira. Killing other criminals served as a sort of revenge for the murder of her parents and for crime in general.
3 Kyoko Gets Revenge By Living Her Best Life (Skip Beat!)
Kyoko Mogami is one of the best shojo heroines out there. Her ability to advocate for herself, along with her resilience and dedication, make her an inspirational character to many viewers. Kyoko proves that, sometimes, the best revenge is in fact success.
Skip Beat! begins with 16-year old Kyoko working endlessly to support her childhood friend and crush, Shotaro Fuwa, a rising pop star. After uprooting her life to follow Sho to Tokyo, one day she overhears him complaining about her and explaining that he only keeps her around to do his chores. Overwhelmed with feelings of betrayal, Kyoko vows to get revenge by entering the entertainment industry herself and becoming a bigger star than Sho. Kyoko’s revenge journey is one of empowerment and growth.
2 Sekai Gets Back At Her Crush In A Gruesome Way (School Days)
School Days begins with Makoto crushing on the beautiful Kotonoha. His classmate, Sekai, offers to help set him up with her, and the two eventually begin dating. The story quickly develops into a love triangle and then a harem, with Makoto sexually involved with most of the girls at their school. Over the course of 12 episodes, both Kotonoha and Sekai experience plenty of heartbreak and betrayal.
School Days is infamous for the dark turn it takes. Devastated by Makoto’s behavior, Sekai invites him to her apartment where she brutally stabs him to death. In this surprising culmination of rage, she gets her revenge. Of course, those who have seen the show know that this isn’t even the finale’s most horrific moment. School Days is not for the faint of heart.
1 Lucy Sets Out On A Bloody Path Of Vengeance (Elfen Lied)
Elfen Lied is a psychological horror series about Lucy, a member of the Diclonius race. Lucy looks like a normal teenage girl other than the fact that she possesses horns and deadly, invisible telekinetic arms called vectors. Imprisoned by the government, she is the subject of inhumane experiments and research that are so horrifying, she develops split personalities.
When the opportunity arises, Lucy escapes, using her vectors to gruesomely rip apart anyone who stands in her way. Torture has made her cold and remorseless, and she has no qualms about killing. She brutally gets revenge on her tormentors, and many viewers find themselves rooting for her despite all the gore and violence.
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